Machine for rolling sheet-metal shapes



Feb. 10, 1931. A. RAFTER 1,792,122

MACHINE FOR ROLLING SHEET METAL SHAPES Filed June 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l O O O o Q a g 3 g 0 O O O O 0 3 g; 0 O O O O *l-N INVENTOR Wilbur/b d W ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 19311 A AF ER 1,792,122

MACHINE-FOR ROLLING SHEET METAL SHAPES Filed June 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. RAFTER Feb. 10, 1931.

MACHINE FOR ROLLING SHEET METAL SHAPES 5 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1928 l-NVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 10, 1931 ALBERT RAFTER, OF BELLEVILLE,

JERSEY NEW JERSEY, T0 SAID ALBERT RAFTER AND JOHN c. RAFTER, .13.,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, BOTH OF BELLEVILLE, NEW

MACHINE FOR ROLLING SHEET-METAL SHAPES Application filed June 27, 1928. Serial No. 288,585.

This invention relates to rolling machines adapted to form sheet metal into channels, moldings, weather strips and other miscellaneous shapes.

Machines of this character may vary in weight from 1800 to 30,000 pounds, occupy very considerable space, and consume a large amount of power.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machine so designed as to avoid excessive weight, but strong and durable in construction and which is quiet in operation.

A further feature is in the provision of a plurality of roll carrying heads arranged Within a small space, each having a substantially independent drive from a shaft common to all thereby producing an unusually compact machine.

Another purpose is to produce a power driven head having two pairs of rolls so disposed that each pair is actuated from a gear common to both and by which the force is evenly transmitted and equally divided between the rolls.

A still further feature is in the roll mounting whereby certainof the rolls may be substituted for others in a particularly easy manner without dismantling the machine.

These and other important objects which will hereafter appear, are accomplished by the novel design, construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a partial top plan and partial horizontal sectional View of the machine, the section being taken in a plane indicated by the line 11 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a partial rear elevational and vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view, parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine.

Figure 5 is a side View of one of the spindles carrying a compound roll and end bearing with sleeves.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

In the embodiment of the metal strip rolling machine shown is a rigid rectangular frame, generally designated by the numeral 10, having similar. side members and provided with a platform 11 having a depressed portion 12 at the front.

A horizontal drive shaft 14 is mounted in p a series of bearings 15 at the rear of the machine, the same being provided with a clutch controlled pulley, not shown, by which power is delivered to the machine.

Fixed on the shaft 14, at the 'center of length of the machine, is a spur pinion l6 meshing with a gear 17 secured on a shaft 18 abm'e and parallel with the drive shaft 14,

and extending the length of the machine, the

shaft being mounted in bearings 19.

Bolted rigidly to the raised rear portion of the platform 11 are a plurality of paired heads 2021 spaced apart and having raised side uprights 22-22 and 2323 respectively, between which are central columns 2425.

Revolubly mounted in the lower central portions of each pair of heads are shafts 26.

24 in the rear heads, and 23-23 and 25 in the front heads.

Adjustment of the housings is individually obtained by screws 34-34 fixed in the re spective housings and extending upward through rails 3535 securely bolted to the upper ends of the columns upright and extending the entire length of the machine, rigidly securing the several pairs of heads together, nuts being provided above and below the rails to control the upper spindle housings.

These upper spindles have secured on them gears 363( in mesh with the gears 30 -30', which as nas been seen, are driven 1n the same rotative direction by the pinions 29 and in such manner as to equalize the strains on the pinion teeth. I

The Y lower step 12 of the platform has bolted to it a plate 37 containing a series .of transverse undercut grooves 38 to receive correspondingly shaped heads of bolts 39 by which is adjustably secured independent brackets 40 tied in-pairs at their tops by rails 41.- i

Journalled in bushings 42 set in the brackets are sleeves 43 on the spindles 31-31, similar sleeves 44 on the upper spindles 32' being revoluble in bushings 45 set in housings 46 movable on slide-ways 47 formed centrally in the brackets 40 in their uppervportions, these housings having adjusting screws 48 passing through the rail 41 and bein provided with nuts by which they are adjusted and clamped.

The forward portions of the several spindles 31-31 and 32-32, respectively lower and upper, are reduced in diameter to receive the sleeves 44 and are threaded at their ends to engage clamp nuts 49 by which the sleeves are forced against the die rolls, held by keys on the spindles and abutting the spindle shoulders at the reduced step portions, this arrangement being best seen in Figure 5.

The die rolls on both spindles are preferably compound'in their structure, and obviously are shaped to correspond with the article to be formed, as indicated at X in Figure 3 in which a plain moulding having equal symmetrical sides is shown.

The roll forming the underside of the article is preferably on the lower spindle, the mating roll being directly above on the upper spindle.

The upper roll, shown in detail in Figure 5, consists of two end members 5052,,in this case shown as duplicates arranged in re versed position, having annular recesses 51-53.in their proximate end faces, these recesses Y engaging tenon-like extensions 5455 formed on the end of a central element composed of two equal half sections 56-57.

In a like manner the lower roll is composed of end elements 5860 having between them a central member 59 split longitudinally and provided with end extensions interengaging recesses in the end elements in the manner before described.

Due to the construction of the die rolls, which includes standardization of their bores, keyway, annular recesses and tenons, it is possible to produce a variety of shapes of difl'erent widths of articles with a ew rolls, the center elements being removed or replaced with facilityby partially backing off the nuts 49, moving the spindle sleeves outwardly to permit spreading the end members of the die rolls sufliciently to release the halves of the central portion and to receive similar halves of another length or shape, all of which can be done without disturbing the spindle housings.

It will be understood that the series of die rolls used in the machine may be arranged to form the desired shape gradually, somewhat in the manner of drawing dies, so that a single passage through the machine will completely finish the article from a fiat blank, and that the same .Will issue straight and uniform throughout its length.

By reason of application of power at the center of the machine the strain is more effecthis result is further effected by a single central drive between the paired members of each head.

It is further obvious that the heads may be placed closely together, thereby minimizing space and providing for automatic feed of the work undergoing operation.

The outer, front bearings being adjustable permit supporting the die rolls close to the work, avoids springing the spindles and hence produces uniform work.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the best known embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that minor changes may be made in form, structure and proportions Without departing from the spirit of the invention as denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A strip metal die roll forming machine comprising a stand, a plurality of heads fixed on said stand, pairs of roll carrying spindles mounted in each head, relatively upper and lower gears connecting each pair, and a pinion meshing with the gears on the lower spindle to drive both in the same direction simultaneously.

2. A strip metal die roll forming machine comprising a stand, a plurality of heads fixed on said stand, each of said heads having two pairs of spindles, gears fixed on each spindle,' a driven pinion intermediate one of the gear pairs in a manner to equalize the force transmitted therebetween, and means for driving the pinion. I I

3. A strip metal forming machine comprising a stand, a plurality of heads thereon, upper and lower pairs of roll carrying spindles journalled in spaced relation in said heads, the upper of said spindles being adjustable vertically, gears on saidspindles, a pinion intermediate the gears on the lower spindles, shafts on which said pinions are mounted, bevel gears on each shaft, bevel pinions engaging said gears, and a driven shaft disposed tively equalized than from an end drive, and v longitudinally the machine on which said bevel pinions are secured.

4. A strip metal forming machine comprising a stand, a plurality of heads thereon, roll carrying spindles mounted in upper and lower pairs in said heads, geared means to equably rotate the lower spindles in opposite directions, gears connecting the upper said shafts at approximately the center of,

lengthof the-machine, a series of heads on said stand, stub shafts in said heads having bevel gears thereon, bevel pinions on the second named shaft engaging the bevel gears, upper and lower pairs ofspindles journalled in said heads, and geared connections between said stub shafts and said spindles, said spin dles carrying rolls to progressively form shapes in metal strips passed through the machine.

- 6. A strip metal forming machine comprising a stand having a stepped platform, double heads composed of front and rear elements fixed on the raised portion of said platform, roll carrying spindles mounted in upper and lower pairs in saideheads, said pairs being gear connected, means for adjusting the height of the upper spindles relative to the lower spindles, means for driving said spindles from a point intermediate therebetween, single heads mounted on the lower portion of the platform adjustabletowards and from the double heads, said single heads having bearings to receive the spindles, and antifriction bushings carried in said bearings.

7. In metal forming rolls, the combination with a spindle, of a pair of spaced die rolls splined to slide thereon, said rolls having annularcounterbored recesses in their proximate side faces, a split roll intermediate said spaced rolls, said split roll having endelements to engage in the mentioned recesses, and means to clamp all, of said rolls rigidly on said spindle.

8. In metal forming rolls, the combination with a pair of geared spindles, of die rolls having a plurality of sections carried on said spindles,said sections being mounted for alrial movement on the spindles, said sectlons bemg movable-towards and from one another,'an-

intermedial roll sectionrsplit longitudinally, means cooperative between the adjacent ends of said sections to retain the splitsection operative position, and means for clamplng all of said sections to operate as a unit.

This specification signed this 26th day of June, 1928. p ALBERT RAFTER. 

